IMPASUGONG, Bukidnon — Former NPA commander Agnes Reano, together with the 8th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, in a forum, urged parents and students to be cautious with the reported recruitment of the New People’s Army on campuses.
Speaking in an ‘Anti-insurgency Symposium’ with more than 400 students and teachers in Apo Macote High School at Barangay Apo Macote, Malaybalay City, Reano revealed the dark side of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) terrorists as she shared her experiences when she was the rebel commander in Bicol Region then.
Reano, who is now working with the government, said students are the main target in NPA recruitment because of their young age and that they can endure days of a gunfight, they can run, and escape when engaged with the government forces.
“To the students, focus on your studies and help your family. Don’t believe in the lies of the NPA recruiters because they have no capability to destroy our government,” she said.
The youths are a brave, curious, and adventurous bunch. So the communists take advantage of these qualities along with their vulnerabilities to deception, manipulation, and threats, she added.
The 8IB, likewise, urged the parents to actively monitor their children’s behavior, their whereabouts, their activities, and the organizations they are taking part in.
The military made the call amid reports that minors were among those killed in recent clashes between soldiers and the NPA rebels.
The faculty of Apo Macote High School lauded the bravery of Reano and the self-sacrificing task of the Philippine Army in the quest to spare young people from CPP-NPA’s lies and deceptions.
“Now we know the true side of those NPA recruiters. We express our gratitude to the 8th IB army and Ms. Reano for their time and for nodding through our request to talk to our students. This dialogue is urgent considering that we are far from the city and hard to reach. May the issues and concerns discussed be internalized by all of us to avoid deceptions,” the school official said.
The symposium ended with an open forum, accommodating queries from teachers and students, and the giving of contact details of the security forces in the area. (Kenneth T. Cabbigat, CMO Officer 8IB, 4ID PA/PIA Bukidnon)
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1026810
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